Grant`s Return Has The Vikings Smiling

Team Welcomes Low-key Approach

August 14, 1985|By Cooper Rollow, Chicago Tribune.

MANKATO, MINN. — Bud Grant`s return to coaching after a voluntary absence of one year hasn`t gone unnoticed. Since the Minnesota Vikings opened training camp Aug. 1 at Mankato State University, nearly 100 reporters have visited the practice field to watch the old gray fox back at work.

Studwell`s remark was a not-so-subtle reference to the Marine Corps drill tactics of Grant`s predecessor, Les Steckel, who was fired after the Vikings finished 3-13 during his single year as head coach. Grant, who had retired at 56 to go fishing, put away his pole and reported back.

He brought along his ever-present but seldom-recognized sense of humor.

``What were you thinking of as you headed down Hwy. 169 to camp?`` Grant was asked.

``I was thinking that they changed the Coca-Cola sign on the silo to 7-Up,`` he replied.

An avid outdoorsman, Grant had looked forward eagerly to retirement. Yet he says he isn`t sorry he picked up his whistle and coaching visor and returned to his trade.

``At least,`` he said Tuesday, ``I`m not sorry at this point. I never was unhappy coaching. I was not unhappy retired, and I`m not unhappy to be back. It`s a win-win-win situation.

``I`m so used to training camp, it`s like mowing the lawn. You know, you`re not crazy about mowing the lawn, but there certainly is satisfaction in doing it.``

Grant doesn`t believe his sabbatical has changed his coaching philosophy. ``I don`t think I`ve philosophically sat back and said, `If I ever get another chance, I`m going to do this or that differently.` I never thought that way. Coming in with the same staff and many of the same players, I`m not likely to change anything.

``I didn`t quit because I had run out of ideas or enthusiasm or because of my health. I simply decided this was the time to quit. It doesn`t seem like I was away, actually.``

If time went by quickly for Grant during his one-year absence, it was a real drag for the players.

Center Dennis Swilley retired as soon as he heard that Grant had quit and that a former Marine drill sergeant had replaced him. Now that Grant is back, so is Swilley.

Many of the older Vikings are openly emotional about Grant, who has become famous for his so-called poker face and refusal to wear his feelings on his sleeve.

``I love Bud Grant because I know he is a truthful person,`` declares wide receiver Sammy White, who caught only 21 passes during an injury-filled 1984 season. ``He`s a straight-up person, and he`ll do what he thinks is best for the team.``

``Steckel alienated a lot of people,`` Studwell said. ``He wouldn`t listen to anybody. When 49 guys feel the same way about a coach, something is wrong.

``Les tried to do everything himself. Some of the things he tried to do, we hadn`t seen since high school. When you get to this level, if you don`t know how to block and tackle, you`re in trouble.``

Quarterback Tommy Kramer recalled that before the `84 preseason opener,

``Les got up and said, `I don`t care how many mental mistakes you make. I just want you going 110 percent and flying around out there.` ``

``The difference between that and Bud`s philosophy,`` Kramer added, ``is that Bud says, `We`re not going to tolerate any mistakes. You`ve got to eliminate mental mistakes, like offsides, completely.` ``

``When you`re a quarterback,`` said Kramer, who has been injured the last two years, ``it makes a heck of a lot of difference how many mental mistakes your offensive line makes. They make a mistake, and it can be the end of your career.``